Michigan

Grab an easy chair, it's college bowl time

Sonia Gottfried talks to Ann Arbor News reporter Geoff Larcom about his story on New Year's college bowl television viewing rush.

Here's your guide to the games to watch . . . and the ones to skip

Get ready, people.

It's time for effort and intensity.

Time for focus and execution, including precisely timed channel-changing and where to position the easy chair in front of the television.

Time for the college football bowl rush.

Friday's duel between Michigan State and Boston College begins a rugged 11-day run of postseason college football that will stretch your devotion, stamina and sense of priorities. There are 24 games between todaydec28 and the national title game on Jan. 7, including Lloyd Carr's last hurrah as head coach for the University of Michigan during the Capital One Bowl on Tuesday.

After the craziest regular season in memory, one that began with U-M falling to Appalachian State and ended with boisterous U-M fans scrutinizing the hiring of a new coach, it's time to enjoy more subplots and silliness over New Year's week.

To help you navigate the TV bowl maze, we've selected and rated a dandy dozen some games for you to check out:

Ratings key.

* Watch an old movie instead

** Worth a look

*** Don't miss it

**** An absolute hoot

Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, today at 5 p.m. on ESPN, Boston College (10-3) vs. Michigan State (7-5): Is the Green Wave coming? Coach Mark Dantonio's Spartans can send a message and build momentum for next year with a win over potent Boston College. The Sparties can also put a dent in Boston, sports' hottest city, with the world champion Red Sox and unbeaten NFL Patriots. Rating: ***

Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN, Texas A&M (7-5) vs. Penn State (8-4): A game with strategic and scientific merit. How many more years will we get to watch ageless Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, who turned 81 this month? Rating: **

Sun Bowl in El Paso, Monday at 2 p.m. on CBS, South Florida (9-3) vs. Oregon (8-4): U-M fans can get another glimpse of the Ducks, who torched the Wolverines back in September and then stumbled after QB Dennis Dixon's knee injury. Rating: **

Music City Bowl in Nashville, Monday at 4 p.m. on ESPN, Florida State (7-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5): FSU plays in the Music City after a cheating scandal that centered on a music history class. This is for Kentucky fans only. Rating: *

Outback Bowl in Tampa, Tuesday at 11 a.m. on ESPN, Wisconsin (9-3) vs. Tennessee (9-4): Get warmed up for U-M's bowl by checking out this clash of cultures and playing styles as you watch for partying Badger fans. Rating: **

AT&T Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. on Fox, Missouri (11-2) vs. Arkansas (8-4): Worth a channel click or two to see how Missouri fares. The Tigers deserved a better bowl. Rating: **

Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Tuesday at 1 p.m. on ABC, Florida (9-3) vs. Michigan (8-4): It's Lloyd Carr's final game vs. a hot Florida team and a Heisman Trophy winner in Gator QB Tim Tebow, plus a chance for U-M to tackle another spread offense. Rarely has an apparent blowout looked so interesting. Tune in to see the end of an era for U-M football. Rating: ***

Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. on ABC, USC (10-2) vs. Illinois (9-3): A second chance for U-M fans to root for an underdog - the team U-M beat in its most impressive victory of the season. Rating: **

Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on Fox, Hawaii (12-0) vs. Georgia (10-2): Wind up your marathon New Year's Day by seeing how the bowl lineup's only undefeated team fares against one of the hottest. It's worth a look just to hear the name of Hawaii QB Colt Brennan. Rating: **

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox, Oklahoma (11-2) vs. West Virginia (10-2): A chance to look into the Wolverines' future by watching the West Virginia spread offense. Expect lots of banter about new U-M Coach Rich Rodriguez. Rating: ***

FedEx Orange Bowl in Miami, Thursday at 8 p.m. on Fox, Kansas (11-1) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2): Missouri pounded Kansas, yet missed out on this prime-time bowl. I'll look in out of respect for what Tech's campus endured this year in the worst campus shooting ever. Rating: **

BCS National Championship Bowl in New Orleans, Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. on Fox, Ohio State (11-1) vs. LSU (11-2): Coulda Been Bowl II. Watch how LSU Coach Les Miles, the man who should be king according to some U-M fans, copes with the Buckeyes and Jim Tressel's sweater vest. The ultimate game for conflicted Wolverine fans. Do you root against the man who spurned U-M or hope he shows us all what we're missing? Rating: ****

Geoff Larcom is a columnist, reporter and a former sports editor at The News. He can be reached at glarcom@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6838.